Digging implement



March 13, 1945. N WALTER 2,371,563

DIGGING IMPLEMENT Filed June 21, 1943 A50 A/ M11727 JENTOR. BY W A m )RNEY.

wide open position dirt readilycleans from the m It will be apparent from the foregoing that I herein is provided a sturdy and rugged digging,

spades 26.

implement which may be universally employed for making holes in the ground, for removing obnoxious weeds by the roots and other like uses.

Moreover the improved device may efie'ctively" be" used by unskilled persons for making holes the depths of which are limited only by the length of the handle of the device. Additionally stoney' or hardsoil which prevents use of the auger type digger does not preventuseof the improved de? vice of this invention.

It will alsobe apparent tov those skilled in the art to which the improved device of this invention appertains that numerous changes and alterations in construction and design may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, the patent granted hereon is not to be limited to the previce embodiments here shown or in any other way except as" is necessitated by the terminology of the appended claims when given the ,range of equivalents to which they may be entitled. I

1. In a digging implement, a substantially circular plate, a standard extending upwardly from the central portion of said plate, a tubular member telescoped over said standard, said tubular member being movable longitudinally of said standard, a stop member pivotally secured to said plate, said stop being movable into and out of the path of travel of said tubularmember, a pair of spade members operably joined to said plate on opposed sides of the peripheral edge thereof,

an operating member secured to said tubular member and slidably engaging a portion of the upper part of said spade member providing means for operably moving the lower ends of said spades toward and from each other, and handles posttioned on the upper ends of said standard and said tubular member for manually operating the device.

2. In a digging implement, a pair of spades disposed in opposed normally parallel relation to each other, a hinged mounting permitting the end of at least one spade to describe a limited arc, the upper end of said movable spade terminating in an angularly disposed channel shaped portion, an'operating member slidably positioned in said channel shaped portion, manually operated means for moving said operating member in said channel shaped member, and a pivotally disposed stop member for limiting the radially outwardly movement of the lower end of said movable spade.

3. In a device of the kinddescribed, a spade, an integral portion of the upper partof said spade being channel shaped in' section, said channel shaped portion being. disposed angularly in respect to the balance of the spade member, a stud receiving slot extending longitudinally of the channel shaped'portion, an operating member slidably. engageable with said channel. shaped portion, .and a. securing stud extending through said slot and fixedin said operating member, said stud preventing separation of. said operating member and said channel shaped portion.

4. In a device 'of the kind described, a base, a

standard extending perpendicularly ofsaid base,

a tubular member telescoped over said standard, said tubular member being movable longitudinally of said standard, a stop member pivotally secured to said base, the free end of said stop member being movable into engagement with said standard to come into the line of travel and limit the movement of the tubular member.

LEO N. WALTER. 

